§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if the head of the accountancy profession at his Department engaged in(a) correspondence, (b) discussions and (c) meetings with (i) his Department's Ministers or officials and (ii) Treasury 409W Ministers or officials in relation to the establishment of Network Rail from October 2001 to September 2002; and if he will make a statement; [86846]
(2) if the head of the accountancy profession at the Department for Transport participated in meetings about the establishment, design and accounting for the successor organisation for Railtrack, between September 2001 and 4 July 2002; and if he will make a statement. [86845]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe participation of DfT's head of accountancy profession in discussions about Network Rail was as follows:
A meeting with Department officials on 15 April 2002 to discuss the likely accounting treatment of the CLG proposals based on UK GAAP and Treasury advice on Government accounting.
A meeting with Department and Treasury officials, Strategic Rail Authority and accountancy advisers on 7 May 2002 to discuss likely accounting treatment from UK GAAP perspective.
A meeting with National Audit Office, SRA and Department officials on 9 May 2002 to discuss the Network Rail proposals and the likely UK GAAP accounting treatment.
A letter dated 4 July 2002 to the Office for National Statistics confirming the contingent liabilities.